It’s that time of year again when coughs and colds are doing the rounds. If your little one has picked up a nasty cold and they are having trouble clearing their phlegm, then chest physio can help. It is important to clear phlegm, as it can play a part in developing chest infections and these can be very serious for young children. As well as chest physio, there are also some simple breathing games that you can play with your child that will help your child to take big breaths in order to shift their phlegm.
Blowing Bubbles
Encourage your child to take a deep breath and form an ‘O’ shape with their mouth ready to blow the bubbles.
Cotton Wool Football With a Straw
Make a goal one end of the table and then encourage your child to blow a cotton wool ball into the goal using a straw.
Bubbling Water
Fill a jug half way with water and a squirt of washing up liquid then encourage your child to blow into the water with a straw for as long as they can until the bubbles reach the top of the jug.
Blowing Toys
Party bag whistles, toy recorders, harmonicas and paper windmills are all great toys which can be used to get your child to take big breaths.
Bouncing on a Gym Ball
This will help your child to take deeper breaths and the bouncing will help to move the phlegm.
If your child is unable to clear the secretions with the breathing games it would be advisable to seek medical advice from a doctor and also to be assessed by a physiotherapist so that they can teach you manual chest physio techniques. Contact us today to book an appointment with one of our highly specialised paediatric physios.